Evan MacColl
| birth_place = Kenmore, Argyll and Bute, Scotland | death_date = July | death_place = Kingston, Ontario, Canada | birth_name = | spouse = Frances Lewthwaite, Isabella MacArthur | occupation = Gaelic poet, Composer | yearsactive = }} Evan MacColl (September 21, 1808 - July 24, 1898) was a Scottish-Canadian poet who wrote in both Gaelic and English. In Scotland he was known as the "Clarsair-nam-beann" or the Mountain Minstrel. Later he was called the "Gaelic Bard of Canada". Dictionary of Canadian Biography 1891-1900 (Volume XII) Retrieved 2011-11-05 Life Youth and education MacColl was born at Kenmore, on the banks of Loch Fyne, Argyll and Bute, Scotland. His father was Dugald MacColl, who was possessed of "the richest store of Celti] song of any man living in his part of the country." His mother, Mary (Cameron), "was noted for her storehouse of traditional tales, legendary and fairy tales." She was also said to be something of an 'improvisatrice' or maker-up of tales.Alexander Mackenzie, "Evan MacColl: The bard of Loch Fyne', The Celtic Magazine, Inverness: A & W Mackenzie, 1881, Volume VI, p.54. This is a three part biography: (1) No. LXII, December 1880, pp,. 54-58; (2) No. LXIII, January 1881, pp. 95-103; (3) No. LXIV, February 1881, pp. 139-145 (an extract from MacColl's diary for 1838-39 of a tour of the Highlands). As a boy MacColl was employed farming and fishing, and later with road repairs (his father had a contact to repair roads for the Duke of Argyll). He nevertheless received a fair education. His father was fond of literature, and procured books for his children when he could. Since the local village school offered a poor education, his father employed a tutor who taught his son English and instilled in him a love of Burns and of English literature in general.John Ferns,MacColl, Evan, “MacCOLL, EVAN,” Dictionary of Canadian Biography 12, University of Toronto / Université Laval, 2003–. Web, Apr. 19, 2017. He thus began his poetic efforts in boyhood. Career in Scotland MacColl's family emigrated to Canada in 1831, but he could not make up his mind to leave his native land. He continued his employment in road repairs while composing many of his best Gaelic lyrics. He published his first book of poems at his own expense in Glasgow in 1836. This was The Mountain Minstrel; or, Clàrsach nam Beann, poems in both English and Gaelic, and it sold enough to give the author a small profit. In 1837 he began contributing to the Gaelic Magazine then published in Glasgow. In 1838 he released The Mountain Minstrel in a Gaelic-only edition; "and his right to stand in the front rank of modern Celtic bards was at once established and acknowledged.” From October 1838 to January 1839, MacColl made a tour of northeast Scotland which was recorded in a diary published by Alexander Mackenzie in his biography of MacColl. Later in 1839 he became a Customs House clerk in Liverpool. He remained in Liverpool until 1850. He married Frances Lewthwaite in Toxteth, Liverpool on May 6, 1847.Marriage information available at http://www.ancestry.com. In Canada In 1850, because of declining health, MacColl obtained 6 months' leave of absence and visited friends and relatives in Canada. While staying on his brother's farm on the Trent River, he was introduced to the Hon. Malcolm Cameron, then a Minister of the Crown, and was offered a position in the Canadian Customs at Kingston, Ontario, which he accepted. MacColl remained in this post for 30 years and was superannuated about the year 1880.Evan MacColl - Poemhunter.com Retrieved 2011-11-05 In 1883 he released The English Poetical Works of Evan MacColl, which included poems written both in Scotland and in Canada. He served for many years as bard of the St. Andrews Society in Kingston.Evan MacColl 1808-1898), Gazeteer for Scotland, Web, Apr. 7, 2012. He died on July 24, 1898 in Toronto and was buried in Kingston. Family He later married Isabella MacArthur in Kingston. He sired 9 children. Writing Dr. Norman McLeod, editor of Good Words, wrote as follows: :Evan MacColl’s poetry is the product of a mind impressed with the beauty and the grandeur of the lovely scenes in which his infancy has been nursed. We have no hesitation in saying that the work is that of a man possessed of much poetic genius. Wild indeed and sometimes rough are his rhymes and epithets, yet there are thoughts so new and striking—images and comparisons so beautiful and original—feelings so warm and fresh that stamp this Highland peasant as no ordinary man. MacColl had written numerous poems, mainly of a lyrical character, while in Canada. One of the most noted is his "Robin", written for the occasion of the Burns Centennial celebration in Kingston. The poem's easy and melodious expression is in excellent imitation of Burns’ own style. He had been for many years the bard of the St. Andrew’s Society of Kingston, and his anniversary poems are greatly appreciated by all Scotsmen. His poetic gifts were inherited by his daughter, Miss Mary J. MacColl,See her work listed here: http://www.worldcat.org/identities/lccn-n82-158355 who published a meritorious little volume of poems entitled "Bide a wee," highly commended for their sweetness and delicacy. Recognition In 1882, MacColl became a charter member of the Royal Society of Canada. Publications Poetry * The Mountain Minstrel: Poems and songs in English. ''Edinburgh: M'Lachlan & Stewart / Glasgow: Blackie / London: F. M'Pherson, 1838. * ''Clàrsach nam Beann, no Dàin agus òrain . . . Dun-Eidinn, Scotland: Mac-Lachuinn & Stiubhard, 1839 **revised & enlarged. Glasgow: A. Sinclair / London & Edinburgh: MacLachlan & Stewart, 1886. * English Poetical Works (with biographical sketch by Alexander. MacKenzie, a reprint of Mackenzie's biography in The Celtic Magazine of 1880-81). Toronto: Hunter, Rose / Edinburgh: MacLachlan & Stewart, 1883; Kingston, ON: British Whig / Montreal: Drysdale, 1887. * Clarsach nam Beann: An ceathramh do-bhualadh, meudaichte agus ath-leasaichte. Glasgow: Evan MacColl Memorial Committee, 1937.Publications as listed in the British Library catalogue, available at http://www.bl.uk Scores * Màiri: for 16-part choir a cappella. James MacMillan; words by Evan MacColl; English translation by James MacMillan. Boosey & Hawkes, c2003. (English words, translated from the original Scottish Gaelic of Evan MacColl; also printed for reference with French and German translations preceding score.) * Welcome, Snow. Text by Evan MacColl. Author: Joseph Roff 1910-. New York: Leeds Music Corporation, 1959. * Suaicheantas na H-Alba, Gaelic text by Evan MacColl, translated by Malcolm MacFarlane as 'The Badge of Scotland' (more popularly known as 'The Thistle o' Scotland'), and accompaniment by Frederick W. Whitehead. Published in Songs of the Highlands, Inverness: Logan and Co., 1902. The copy of this book in the Mitchell Library, Glasgow, was acquired by library in December 1902. See also *Scottish-Canadian poets *List of British poets *List of Canadian poets References Fonds *Archive material held by the Mitchell Library, Glasgow: 24 items donated by the Evan MacColl Memorial Committee in 1937. Miscellaneous handwritten, typescript and printed material by or relating to Evan MacColl; including letters, cuttings, photographs etc., mainly dating from the period of his life in Canada; also, a synopsis of a proposed biography by Alexander Fraser.Information as available in the Mitchell Library catalogue, shelf reference: 552992. Notes External links ;Poems *MacColl, Evan (1808-1898) (1 poem) at Representative Poetry Online *Evan MacColl at PoemHunter (5 poems) *Evan MacColl at Poetry Nook (6 poems) ;About *MacColl, Evan in the Dictionary of Canadian Biography Category:1808 births Category:1898 deaths Category:Canadian people of Scottish descent Category:Scottish Gaelic poets Category:Canadian poets Category:Scottish songwriters Category:People from Argyll and Bute Category:19th-century poets Category:English-language poets Category:Gaelic poets Category:Scottish poets Category:Scottish Gaelic-speaking people Category:Poets Category:Scottish-Canadian poets